The first impact that I had upon entering the group was the realization that alcoholism is a condition that can plague diverse individuals who seem to be leading very different lives except for the common addiction. There were eight individuals in out group with myself included. Among the eight, three were women and the rest were men. There were two people who were probably in their early thirties while another one looked like he was sixty.
This diverse crowd all had drinking problems, and they all think that they can cure it through attending these sessions. Before entering the group, I had already been informed that there was one rule that was supposed to be observed strictly. This rule was that members were not allowed to ask any identifiable personal questions. These included questions about what another member did for a living, whether that member was married and so on. However, members are free to volunteer information as they so wish.
I observed that this rule was strictly followed, and that throughout the session when people shared their experiences, nobody probed deeper than the sharers seemed to be comfortable with. Needless to say, there were no incidents that I can qualify as surprises. The members were well behaved and seemed to be very reasonable people. In fact, the session seemed to be an exercise of rationality that they may not have when they are drunk. The group was facilitated by a fellow alcoholic who went by the codename, Tom.
Tom led the group to discussing things that relate back to alcoholism when the topic becomes fairly derailed. On one instance, one of the sharers who was talking about a family barbecue ended up getting the group to talk about how fun barbecues are. Tom interceded and brought the topic to whether having fun encourages the members to drink more or less. His presence made the group more productive. The experience was very informative and enriching. I believe that I now have a better idea of the type of reprieve that such groups can offer a willing individual who is struggling against alcoholism.